Float arm locking means



April 30, 1957 c. H. MILLERWISE 2,790,457 FLOAT ARM LOCKING MEANS FiledJune 16, 1954 Ill/l/l/l/ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IN V EN TOR.

, CARL H. MILLERYVISE BY M M United States atent FLOAT ARM LOCKING MEANSCarl H. Millerwise, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit ControlsCorporation, Detroit, of Michigan 7 Application June 16, 1954, SerialNo. 437,024

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-316) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in liquid level controlling means and more'particularly toa device for locking-or holding the valve member against the valve seat.

In the installation of flow controlled valves, it has been found thatdamage to the valve seat or valve member has been a troublesomeoccurrence. This damage has been traced to the fact that the float valveis assembled within the casing at the point of manufacture and shippedto the point of installation in its assembled condition..

During shipments the float valve is subjected to the ordinary jarringand vibration which occur in the normal handling of bulk commodities.pivotally supported-in the casing, this vibration causes the valvemember to strike the valve seat with such a force that either the'valveseat or the valve member will be chipped or distorted. This jarring alsocauses the valve member to be moved out of alignment with the valveseat. The type of valve members required in float operated liquid levelcontrol means, such as the float valves operable to control the amountof liquid fuel supplied to a reservoir to maintain a constant head formetered flow to an oil burner, requires a commonly termed needle valvewhich is of such construction that any slight distortion of either thevalve member or the valve seat will cause leakage of liquid fueltherethrough. A damaged valve or valve seat is not easily discernible byvisual inspection due to this relatively minute distortion requiredforleakage. The only positive method of determining whether the valvehas been damaged is to assemble the same in a burner system and subjectthe valveto operating conditions. It is readily seen that this is anunsatisfactory, time consuming, and expensivemethod of determiningwhether the valve has been daniaged. Also, the replacement of the finelymachined needle valves and valve seats is an expensive and timeconsuming process. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to.provide a float valve with a means to hold the valve member against thevalve seat during shipment, thereby preventing the heretofore describeddamage.

Another object is to provide a locking means that pre- Since the floatvalve is ICE i and a cover member 3. The casing 1 has an inlet pas-Mich, a corporation sageway 4 and an outlet 5. The flow through theoutlet 5 is controlled by a metering valve which is not shown.

The reservoir 2 is supplied with liquid through the inlet passageway 4in which there is a strainer 6. The inlet passageway 4 opens upwardly asat 7 through the bottom wall of the casing 1 into a guide sleeve 8having a valve seat 9. The guide sleeve 8 has outlet ports 10 on theoutlet side of the valve seat 9 through which the liquid discharges intothe reservoir 2. Guided in the sleeve 8 is a valve member 11 having afrustro conical valve head 12 and a valve stem 13. Secured to the valvestem 13 in spaced relation to the valve head 12 is a spring retainermember 14. A coil type spring 15 is positioned around the valve stem 13and has one of its end portions abutting .the upper end of the guidesleeve 8 and its other end portion abutting the underside of the springretainer member14, thus biasing the valve head 12 away from the valveseat 9.

Within the reservoir 2 there is a supporting post 16 1 :extendingupwardly therein and having an aperture 17 extending through its upperfree end portion. A channel shaped lever member 18 has a pair of sideflanges 19 and 20 and a ,web portion 21. The side flanges 19 and 20 havealigned'apertures 22 therethrough. The apertures 22 are aligned with thepost aperture 17, and a pin member 23 pivotally secures the lever member18 to the post 16. The web portion 21 has a downwardly bent portion24'substantialiy adjacent the post 16 with anv aperture 25 therethrough.The web portion 21 also has an upwardly bent portion 26 with an aperture27 therethrough. The

wardly extending web portion 24. An adjusting screw vents excessiveforce from being exerted by the valve member against the valve seat.

Another object is to provide a locking means which is economical tomanufacture and easily removed when the float valve is assembled'in theburner system.

This invention consists of a novel construction and cooperation of partsto be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will beparticularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing to be taken as part of the specification,there is fully and clearly shown a preferred embodiment of thisinvention in which drawing, the figure shows the portions of the outercasing broken away and portions of the casing shown in section.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a hollow float valve in sideelevation with .and a rivet member 36 32 is positioned in the apertures27, 25, and 31, and is operable to vary the vertical distance betweenthe lever member 18 and the float supporting member or arm 30. Securedto the free end of the supporting member 30 is a float 33. At theopposite end of the lever 18 there is an aperture 29 through the leverweb portion 21. A counterweight 34 is secured to the underside of thelever web portion 21 which is operable to counteract the upper force ofthe spring member 15 and permit the valve member 11 to close under thebuoyant force of the float 33 which therefore functions moresensitively.

A locking member 35 is constructed of a resilient springlike materialand has a securing arm portion 35 and a second arm portion 38. Thesecuring arm portion 35* has an aperture 37 therethrough and ispositioned in abutting relation with the upper side of the lever webportion 21 between the upwardly extending lever member flange portions19 and 20. The securing arm portion aperture 37 is aligned with the webportion aperture 29 secures the locking member securing arm portion 35to the lever member web portion 21. The second arm portion 38 extendsupwardly and at an acute angle to the securing arm portion 35 and issubstantially adjacent to the casing side wall 39*. When the valvemember 11 is in a closed position, the lever member 18.is in ahorizontal plane and substantially normal to the casing side wall 39.The securing arm portion 35 being secured to the lever member 18 willalso extend in a horizontal plane when the valve member 11 is in aclosed position. When the lever member 18 is in a horizontal plane, thelocking member second arm portion 38 has its freeupper end egtending-away from the casing side wall and the d materials. a inst lledplane s n downward toward the casingside wall 39*.

The casing 1 has a threaded aperture 39 through its side wall 39..

fd;lit extends into the easing-on a horizontal plane ub t 3 3 lQ r 9- hlever member as. "Theflockcon cal g ldipq liqn 3tabuts the docking mem:her and arm as s uhstan a -y adjacent-its free'cnd and a horizontalioree thereon. Due ;to =.the angle of I ember 18, a portion of thishorizontal force 'is transmitted in a ;vertical downward direction onthe end portion of the lever member 18 adjacent to the =va'lve member11. 'l his downward force rotates :thelevermember 18in a counterelochwise direction around the pivot pin 23 and forges the valve head'12 against the valve seat 19. should be noted that the screw head 44abuts the outer side of the easing sidewall 39?- and limits the inwardmovement of the screw 42. This limitation of movemeht oi the screw 532also. limits the horizontal force exerted (in the loglging member secondarm 38 which, in aim, limits the downward force exerted by the valvehead 12 on the valve S at 9. It should also be noted that the resilientconstruction of the locking member 35 will also'limit this downwardforce exertedby the valve a 2% i he va ve se Opemiiq r The float va veheretofore described al v as o ows:

The liquid enters through the inlet passageway 4 and passes upwardlythrough the guide sleeve 8 and around thevalve head 12 and into thereservoir 2 through the outlet ports 10, When the level of the liquid inthe reservoir 2 increases to a point where the float member 33 exerts acounterclockwise movement on the spring operates substanretainer member14, the valve head 12 will abut the,

valve seat 2 and. control the, flow therethrough is substantially thedescription of a float operated valve wherein the, liquid within thechamber or reservoir 2 is controlled by. a float membertherein. Thevalve is so constru it dllhatjthe counterweight 34 prevents-the float:from being entirely submerged before the float responds tcr theliqui-dllevreland exerts'force greater thanthe force of. the spring 15which biases: the valve l-l towardan open position. Theweight' ofthecounterweight '34, counret 1 resilient force. oi the spring 15, therebypermitting more sensitive, operationlinthatthe float upon'exerting aslight pressure will seat the valve member 11 against the v valve seat9. The screw s32 is used to vary; the position ofthe float Within, thecasing which in turn varies member 11,.

When the valye is; assembled at the point of manufacture, thefscrew 4:2;is inserted in the casing aperture 39 as here tpiore described. andisrotated; thereifi until q lgdl .5 por ion abuts theupwardly extendingI portion, 3 of the locking armfii The screw 42 willeireft adownwardtorceon the locking arm 35'which in turn willexertacounterelockwise forceonthelever 18; The down v waridly extending,portion 23.- oflthe lever} web 2'1 exerts a downward force on thevalvespring retainer member 14 which willssat the valvehead 12 against {thevalve seat 9. Thus, the. valvevmember 1-1 is seated against the theliquid, level at which the. float will close the valve valve seatindependent, of theibudyant ac tio'n q; the,

flhe aperture is ,positiQned above the: uppermost liqui-dlevelin thereservoir-2. A-reinforcrng t locking member secpnd ar-n1 3.8 with thedfloat member 33. It should be noted that the conical ,end portion '43of the screw 42 slides along the face'of the locking arm upwardlyextending portion 38. There fore, it is not possible to exert a force onthe valve member against the valve seat that is greater than the forceof the resilient locking arm 35, because once the valve member 11 isseated on :the valve seat 9, any additional force exerted by the screw42 will tend to bend the upwardly extending'portion 38 toward thelever-member 18.

Also, as heretofore described, the seating of the locking screwsemi-spherical head 44 against the outer side 'of the casing side walllimits the horizontal force exerted on the upwardly extending portion38. Thus, by the inexpensive addition of the locking arm and "lockingscrew, the valve member 11 may be seated against the valve seat 9 toprevent damage thereto by vibration or jarring motion during shipmentand installation. When the flow controlling device has been assembled inthe burner system, the screw 42 may be removed from the.

aperture 39 in the casing 1 and the float operated valve will .be freeto function under the forces exerted by the float member itself. Itshould again be noted "that the aperture 39 in the casing 1 is above theuppermost liquid level in the reservoir and therefore does notnecessarily have to be sealed after the screw 42 is removed therefrom.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

'1. In a device of the character described, a casing hav ing an aperturetherethrough forming a valve seat therein, a valve member positioned insaid casing adjacent to said valve seat, said valve member being movabletoward and away from said valve seat and operable to control the flow ofliquid through said aperture, a lever member operable to actuate saidvalve member, a resilient arm member extending from said lever member,and locking means extending through a wall of said casing, said lockingmeans being adjustable to move into abutting relation with saidresilient arm member to hold said valve member against said valve seat.

2. In a liquid flow controlling device, a casing having an inlet forminga valve seat therein, a valve member positioned in said casing adjacentto said valve seat, said valve member being movable toward and away fromsaid valve seat and operable to control the flow of liquid through saidinlet, a lever member pivotally secured within said casing, a springmember biasing said valve member away from said valve seat and intoengagement with said lever member, a resilient locking member having afirst arm portion secured to said lever member adjacent to saidvalvemember, a second arm portion extending upwardly at an acute angle tosaid lever mem ber, locking means carried by said casing and operable toabut said resilient locking member second arm portion thereby holdingsaidvalve member against said seat.

3:. In aliquid flow controlling device, a casing having 7 7 an inlet anda side wall having a threaded aperture therecured to said lever memberadjacent to said valve memher, a second arm portion extending upwardlyand at an acuteangle to said lever member, and,a locking screw extendingthrough. said threaded aperture and abutting,

said'resilient locking member second arm portion there byholding saidvalve member against said seat.

4. In a liquid flow controlling device, a casinghaving' ant and a s deva l; av nga hr ade p tur therethrough, said inlet forming a valve seatwithin said casing, 21 valve member positioned in said casing adjacentto said valve seat,'said valve member being movable toward and away fromsaid valve seat and operable to control the flow of liquid through saidinlet, a lever member pivotally secured Within said casing, a springmember biasing said valve member away from said valve seat and intoengagement with said lever member, a resilient locking member having afirst arm portion secured to said lever member adjacent to said valvemember, a second arm portion extending upwardly and at an acute angle tosaid lever member, a locking screw having a head portion and a conicalend portion, said screw extending through said threaded apertures withsaid head portion abutting the outer wall of said casing and saidconical end portion abutting said resilient locking member second armportion thereby holding said valve member against said seat, saidlocking screw head portion limiting the force exerted by said lockingscrew conical end portion against said resilient locking member secondarm portion thereby limiting the force exerted by said locking screwagainst said valve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,427,059 Landon Sept. 9, 1947

